CD8(+) T cells specific for an immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid epitope display high naive precursor frequency and TCR promiscuity

To better understand primary and recall T cell responses during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to examine unmanipulated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells. By using peptide-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tetramers for direct ex vivo analysis, we characterized CD8(+) T cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in COVID-19 patients and unexposed individuals. Unlike CD8(+) T cells directed toward subdominant epitopes (B7/N(257), A2/S(269), and A24/S(1,208)) CD8(+) T cells specific for the immunodominant B7/N(105) epitope were detected at high frequencies in pre-pandemic samples and at increased frequencies during acute COVID-19 and convalescence. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8(+) T cells in pre-pandemic samples from children, adults, and elderly individuals predominantly displayed a naive phenotype, indicating a lack of previous cross-reactive exposures. T cell receptor (TCR) analyses revealed diverse TCRαβ repertoires and promiscuous αβ-TCR pairing within B7/N(105)(+)CD8(+) T cells. Our study demonstrates high naive precursor frequency and TCRαβ diversity within immunodominant B7/N(105)-specific CD8(+) T cells and provides insight into SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell origins and subsequent responses.